Spain's elderly tenant eviction sparks nationwide housing protests and policy debate

Courts authorized the removal of 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal from her long-standing Madrid home, ruling that her protected tenancy, inherited from her parents, had legally ended and that the landlord could recover the flat. Although the eviction complied with the law, activists argue it is unjust because the new rent of about €1,650 per month far exceeds her €1,350 pension, forcing her out. Tens of thousands marched, camped at Puerta del Sol and staged protests in other cities, calling for extended lease protections, rent-increase limits and tighter regulation of speculative rentals.

Online misinformation has claimed the eviction was illegal, blamed the tenant union Sindicato de Inquilinas, and misrepresented statements from politicians. A recent agreement will let Abascal return to the apartment at roughly €500 a month, capped at 30 % of her income, but it does not overturn the court decision. Parliament is being urged to adopt broader housing reforms while the broader debate over Spain's rental market continues.